Re-using medium

[tastyness]

Because I'm a big recycler and the plants were very healthy I'm wanting to recycle my soil/coco mix from the male plants I just killed.

I know that I'm supposed to get all the old roots out. BUT how the heck is the best way to do that. The rootball is pretty solid and networked with tons of roots.

Any tips, tricks advice appreciated.

PS: I mix this in with my regular fresh soil mix as a bit of an extender. I don't use it again as is.

 

[Rosebud]

I water the pot really well and leave a good "handle" on the plant stem. Then I pull with all my might and get a pretty decent root ball out of there,,,then it is just hand sifting and it is a yucky job i don't like to do, but do cause the FFOF costs too much to just throw out. Now i make my own super soil with the spent ffof.

 

[BackWoodsDrifter]

I use fresh each an every time cause me soil be cheap enough but ifin i needed to I would pull root ball out and tap it gainst hard surface to knock all dirt off root ball then put dirt back into pot and throw root ball way. Good luck with yur travels pilgrem.

BWD

 

[Wetdog]

There is a really nice sticky in the organics section on reusing soil.

I prefer used re-amended soil over fresh made. If you use a lot of rock dust and minerals like I do, it really doesn't start kicking in and breaking down for a year or so.

Un amended used soil is PERFECT for sprouting seeds or freshly rooted clones. Just enough *stuff* to get them going without burning. I've even started rooting clones in used soil and party cups. Slightly lower success rate, but who cares? If they don't root, you still have the mix and the cups, not like having to toss jiffy pucks or RW cubes for cuts that don't make it.

I'll take out the dense part of the root ball, but leave fine roots in there. There is usually myco's growing on them. They just go dormant until the next root comes along. The mix should be well inoculated with beneficial bacteria also.

I usually grow garlic or other Alliums for the first run in fresh made mix. Myco's love Alliums, beneficial bacteria too. Couple that with a 8 month grow cycle and you have very well conditioned mix come harvest. Not much is added to re amend other than N-P-K. Alliums don't seem to be especially heavy feeders.

Wet

 

[4u2sm0ke]

I been recycling soil for a couple years now....Just add new amendments and all is good..I get rid of most the roots and fill a garbage can..I than add all the goodies and pour into another can..I turn it every other day for a month...adding 2 gallons sugar water every other week..:aok:

 

[tastyness]

Thanks everyone. I was worried about getting the fine roots out of there.


Interesting- Rosebud I wouldn't have thought to water first. Thought it would be easier to sift out when dry. Of course I also had an awful time when I watered before transplanting. But that is another story.

Wetdog- good to know about the small fine roots. I know when I used to do my window boxes each year I would just mush up all the roots from the previous year and everything worked out fine. I plan to reuse my cloning mix over and over too.

Someone told me to make sure I got rid of all of them before reusing and I wasn't sure how important that was.